Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 March 2012
411 Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to address the issue of separated persons who can no longer live in the family home but whose names remain on the property deeds and so are not deemed to have a housing need for social housing purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14310/12]
View answerDecisions on eligibility of households for social housing support and the allocation of that support are solely a matter for housing authorities.
Regulation 22 of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 provides that an applicant household for long-term social housing support is ineligible for such support if a household member owns alternative accommodation that could reasonably be expected to be used to meet its housing need, either by occupying it or by selling it and using the proceeds to secure suitable accommodation. For this reason if either member of a separated couple applies housing authorities require evidence of legal separation or divorce before considering a household's eligibility for long-term social housing support, as the separation agreement will provide certainty regarding property ownership.
My Department and the Housing Agency have provided guidance on these provisions to housing authorities. I acknowledge, however, that situations may exceptionally arise that may not be easily dealt with under the current Regulations. My Department is currently reviewing the social housing assessment provisions and will consider what wider discretion might be given to housing authorities to address individually difficult and complex cases which may present to them.
